Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday came up with its 19-point ‘Dalit manifesto’ for 2017 Punjab polls promising houses for all Dalits, a special cell for implementation of post-matric scholarship scheme, besides a special investigating team (SIT) to fix responsibility for atrocities on Dalits, among other things.
This is AAP’s fourth manifesto after already releasing separate poll documents for the farmers, youth and transport, trade and industry communities. The party strategically choose Doaba region of Punjab, having maximum concentration of scheduled caste community, to release the manifesto.
AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, unveiling his “commitment to the people of Punjab” aiming at “respect, dignity and honourable livelihood for dalit brotherhood”, said that the upliftment of the community is must for the progress of Punjab and once voted to power, the party would take special care of the Dalit community in the state. He announced to increase free electricity units for Dalit families to 400 from the existing 200.
“A low-cost housing scheme would be implemented to ensure that all members of the community have a pucca house and the Punjab Scheduled Caste Commission will be strengthened and expanded to ensure that their grievances are taken seriously and discrimination of any kind is punished,” he said.
This includes making Dalits work extra hours, exploitation in grant of pension or other benefits due to political affiliation, not giving them minimum wages, etc. The Commission will have one Dalit representative from each district. He said that a special cell will be created to monitor proper implementation of the Post-Matric Scholarship scheme and a time-bound inquiry will be conducted to identify those guilty of looting money meant for Dalits under the scheme and to take strict action against them.
“A special SIT will fix responsibility and recommend exemplary punishment for atrocities and false cases registered against Dalits in the last five years,” Kejriwal said, adding that the backlog of job vacancies for Dalits would be cleared.
He said that a collateral-free loan of `2 lakh would be given to start small businesses or village-based enterprises to enable poor members of the community to earn a dignified living. In the event of crop failure, farm labourers shall be given a compensation of `10,000 for every month of loss of work, he said, adding that job cards under MGNREGA will be made on priority for Dalits and more work areas will be identified for the scheme.
Kejriwal said that the amount under Shagun scheme will be increased to `51,000, while old-age, widow and handicapped pensions will be increased from `500 to `2,000. Everyone will be eligible for old age pension at 58 years, he said.
To improve the health system, he said that there will be a modern Pind Sehat Clinic in every village. The manifesto promised that stop the auctioning of village common land reserved for dalits to influential persons of other castes by proxy, besides freeing the same from illegal control by people of other castes.
It avowed to make mandatory for all educational institutions, Government and private offices and NGOs to have a complaint office to deal with discrimination against Dalits. “Special Dalit committees in every block would be setup to inform people of benefits available for them and to register complaints of corruption and harassment by Government staff responsible for delivery of welfare schemes,” it read.
Announcing to launch a ‘Higher Education Guarantee Scheme’ on Delhi pattern, the manifesto stated that education loans up to `10 lakh would be provided against Government guarantee. AAP also promised free education for poor Dalit girls up to plus two and free skill training subsequently. “Poor Dalit students will get free accommodation and food in the residential hostels for students and working professionals in all districts. No admission charges for Dalit students in government schools,” it added.
Other than that, it promised to establish a separate commission for denotified tribes (vimukta jatis) like Sansi, Bauaria, Bazigar, Barad, Bangali, Nat and Gandhila to look into their demands. A special Board will work for their upliftment, create settlements to ensure low cost pucca houses for all people from these nomadic tribes and ensure school education for their children.